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Royal fever has been high in Renwick this week after pupils of Renwick School were invited to welcome Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge when they touch down at Woodbourne Air Base on Thursday.

Renwick School principal Simon Heath said he was excited and grateful that his pupils would get to be a part of the royal celebrations.

"It is a great opportunity for the pupils to see the royal couple up close as they pass them by," he said.

The school will take about 500 pupils to the air base by bus. Four buses will make two trips each starting at 9.15am with the most senior pupils, to ensure all the pupils get there on time.

Room 2 teacher Jade Lee said royal fever had hit her classroom this week.

"We were invited on Friday to welcome the royal couple, so this week my class would learn the meaning of the royal family to us in New Zealand, our flags and history of the two countries," she said.

Daemyn Ireland, 7, was very excited to colour in flags and mount them on a stick to wave on the day.

"I'm very excited to see Prince William, I put both my flags on one stick so that I can do the royal wave with my other hand when he comes by," he said.

He had hoped baby George would come to Blenheim.

"One of my favourite shows on TV is Peppa Pig and her cute baby brother is also called George, who is my favourite character," Daemyn said.

Fairhall School pupils had also been invited to the base to greet the royal couple.

Principal Steve Crockett said pupils would leave the school at 10.15am to get there on time.

Most Marlborough schools had steered clear of arranging school trips to see the royal couple in Blenheim due to the expected huge crowds.

Most said, however, that pupils would be permitted to take time off school for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and would not be marked absent.

Instead the trip to see the royals would be viewed as an academic outing.

Schools requested that parents notify them if their child would not be attending school on Thursday.